Pumpkins, roadside stands & soup

On my drive to work every day, I pass by a lot of farms. Several of these farms have roadside stands, selling fresh produce like tomatoes, zucchini and corn during the summer. Now, they’re overflowing with gorgeous pumpkins and squash.

I stopped by one of the stands to pick up a few for my family (we love squash…or at least the adults do. The six year old scrunches up her nose when she tastes it). I was amazed by the sheer variety they had for sale–so many different shapes, textures and colors!

There are so many ways to enjoy pumpkin: there’s the classic pie, of course, but also soups, stews, casseroles, quick breads and pasta sauce. Many of us think of pumpkin as something for dessert (probably because pumpkin pie is sooo good!), but it’s equally tasty in savory dishes and main courses like this recipe for pumpkin soup. It might sound odd if you’ve never tried it, but it’s surprisingly yummy. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

This recipe calls for canned pumpkin. If you’re interested in trying it with fresh pumpkin, here’s how to cook it.